Oil Changes

[rubberduck]

Going to change mine at 1000, just turned 500 yesterday. Oil is cheap and it looks very straight forward. - No aero to remove.

 

[PrimeTime]

I wouldn't. Could you without any issue? Probably, but why not just use the proper part? Also, if you have an engine issue, no matter how unrelated, do you want the dealer to have any ammo to deny a warranty claim?

From GM Bulletin, I know it doesn't state UPF46 specifically, but what it does tell me is that there is more going on in the filter than whether or not it "fits"...

I agree, LT4 $16K....recommended filter without a warranty hiccup, priceless.

 

[raptor5244]

My oil change order arrived yesterday from Walmart. I ordered 10 qts of M1 Supercar to keep a spare in the trunk. I also rolled the odometer over 500 miles yesterday evening so I was able to experience the full power band finally!

What’s the general consensus here for first oil change mileage?

500, 750, 1000, according to the DIC?

Obviously I’m planning on sooner than later since I bought everything.

I usually do the first oil change around 1000-1500 miles just to get any residual crap out of there. It may be mostly psychological but I like to establish a baseline since I have no idea how long the factory oil has actually been in there. Is this the build date of the vehicle or the build date of the engine?

 

[67john98]

You use the OEM PF64 filter?

Good point. I did use the same AC Delco PF64. I also went back and looked at some pics I took and turns out oil pressure was the same (was my imagination).

 

[PrimeTime]

I usually do the first oil change around 1000-1500 miles just to get any residual crap out of there. It may be mostly psychological but I like to establish a baseline since I have no idea how long the factory oil has actually been in there. Is this the build date of the vehicle or the build date of the engine?

I did it at 1K and the oil, to be honest, looked like I could have drove another 3k easy before changing it. That's my benchmark now. No chunks! For those of us the go to the dealer first, ask you're dealer what they use, I cant believe someone on here said their dealer used non-recommended oil! Document that, and I guess I would be both happy and concerned if I have to service it there again? Or the engine blows ...? The dealer, common man! WTH!

 

[raptor5244]

Good point. I did use the same AC Delco PF64. I also went back and looked at some pics I took and turns out oil pressure was the same (was my imagination).

Cool. The pressure will vary based on temp so you need to make sure you compare hot idle pressure, say around 200 degrees. There were quite a few oil pump failures on the LT4s in the 2017/2018 ZL1s. This is responsible for a continual thread on the Camaro ZL1 forums. When someone reports their hot idle pressure dropping to around 20psi when it is normally 35psi, they know the pump is starting to crack and needs to be replaced.

 

[T.O.Blackwing]

Why not just follow GM’s recommendations?
GM’s engineers design and build the engine, its quality control technicians test and retested the design and build before it went into production, and its accountants would have to justify the funds required to replace it if it blows up under warranty, so I think that’s a lot of expertise you can trust to back up whatever is recommended.
(Which is what, by the way: Just follow the engine oil life calculation?)

Reposting because I’m genuinely interested in thoughtful opinions and answers:
1: Why not just follow GM’s recommendations?
2: Which is what for the first oil change, specifically: Are you supposed to just follow the engine oil life calculation according to your vehicle’s computer?

 

[M2Cto4BW]

Reposting because I’m genuinely interested in thoughtful opinions and answers:
1: Why not just follow GM’s recommendations?
2: Which is what for the first oil change, specifically: Are you supposed to just follow the engine oil life calculation according to your vehicle’s computer?

To save you asking it a 3rd time...
- because people are different and have different levels of comfort and experience when it comes to maintaining their cars. No one is saying GM don't know what they're talking about, but if you have a maintenance cadence that has served you well across multiple high-performance cars and it provides you additional peace of mind, why not do it.
- personally, coming from an M car it felt weird to keep on driving until IDK, next year sometime, if I followed the system prompt. So I went and got it done and I now feel better about the shape my car is in. Obviously when I start tracking it that will bring stuff you absolutely must change out, but that's a corner case relative to the majority of drivers.

 

[raptor5244]

Reposting because I’m genuinely interested in thoughtful opinions and answers:
1: Why not just follow GM’s recommendations?
2: Which is what for the first oil change, specifically: Are you supposed to just follow the engine oil life calculation according to your vehicle’s computer?

Nothing wrong with following the manual. I change it earlier than the oil life meter says just because I enjoy maintaining the car. It is part of the hobby for me.

I will agree that modern engines are built much better nowadays and there really isn't break-in oil anymore but in my mind there is still some material, sealants, etc. that breakdown. It is relatively cheap to just get that oil and filter out of there. On a 4BW it only needs 7qts of the 5w30 Dexos1, which is available in 5qt containers for less than $25. I do the oil change myself for about $40. The filter costs about $7. The 5BW oil change will cost about $100 or so, mainly because they don't sell the 0W40 Dexos2 in 5qt. so you are stuck paying $10 per qt.

Look at the new GR86 issue. The RTV sealant gasket from the oil pan is breaking off and getting sucked into the oil pickup tube, clogging it and starving the motor for oil. Joy...

 

[raptor5244]

Cool. The pressure will vary based on temp so you need to make sure you compare hot idle pressure, say around 200 degrees. There were quite a few oil pump failures on the LT4s in the 2017/2018 ZL1s. This is responsible for a continual thread on the Camaro ZL1 forums. When someone reports their hot idle pressure dropping to around 20psi when it is normally 35psi, they know the pump is starting to crack and needs to be replaced.

Yeah, it's a thing in the Camaro world. The general consensus is that GM may of had a bad run of pumps or silently improved the pumps in 2019 but these later model ZL1s still have pretty low miles so time will tell. Many of the folks that have them replaced install a Katech aftermarket pump and wind up doing some power mods while they are at it. The pump is cheap but the labor is very expensive. It seems to be more common on the LT4, maybe due to the increased power level and stress on the pump. Some theorize that folks are too hard on the motor while the oil is still cool and thick and this puts stress on the pump. Lots of speculation in the thread below.

Poll- who had a failed oil pump on their Camaro? - CAMARO6

Poll- who had a failed oil pump on their Camaro? ZL1 Discussions

www.camaro6.com

 

[Daijoubu]

20% off Autozone right now.

 

[Dirkbg]

I went on Amazon to see how prices compared. I found surprising filter material listed for the filter from the AC Delco store:

It was $6.96 by the way, no difference between blonde, brown, or black...

 

[rubberduck]

I only use the recommended goat hair filters.

 

[TK42ONE]

I did mine last week and sent a sample off to blackstone labs. A couple of things, I wish the plug was down...man that shot out pretty far. The filter is not too bad but next time I might punch a hole in the bottom of the filter and let it drain. Over all pretty easy on race ramps.

 

[Powerhungry]

Just went over 900 miles in mine...stalking this thread to figure out if I should do an 'early' change i.e. around 1000 miles. Since the car will sit for ~5 months starting soon (I live in MI), I think I'll wait until spring to change the oil.

 

[Daijoubu]

Just went over 900 miles in mine...stalking this thread to figure out if I should do an 'early' change i.e. around 1000 miles. Since the car will sit for ~5 months starting soon (I live in MI), I think I'll wait until spring to change the oil.

I've always read/heard if you are going to let a car sit, you are better off changing the oil BEFORE instead of after.

 

[rubberduck]

I put my vehicles on blocks if they sit more than a month.

 

[565565]

I put my vehicles on blocks if they sit more than a month.

I get the idea behind it, but I've parked my C5 z06 for like 5 months for the winter for like 17 winters without blocks without any issue with the tires. I mean some of these cars were in the lot of doom for that long or longer and I'm sure they didn't have blocks.

 

[TK42ONE]

Here is the 1st oil change report.

 

[FLYARMY]

I had my 5BW done at the dealer at 1450 miles. 1st one is complimentary anyway. I just spent $11,000 getting my 1967 Cadillac deville convertible 429 ci engine rebuilt. I had to source many parts that needed replacement and are not cheap. The car has 200,000 miles on it and my Dad bought it brand new in 1967. I took it when I was 12 years old because he said he was gonna junk it. I'm 58 now and still keep it nice. My engine builder had me bring it back for a 1000 mile check up and break in oil change. The rear main seal is leaking ,even after 5 attempts with new seals. I may need to source a new/used crankshaft. He said that these are man-made machines that metal rubs metal , no matter what the factory says. He says that many of the engines he rebuilds are because they go too long without an oil change "as the owner manuals recommend" now. Its better to change the oil every 3-5000 miles just to have a peace of mind. Oil changes cost less than an engine rebuild.